Eternal Commitment
by griffindork93
Summary: Set in New Moon. Bella says take me to Vegas when Edward offers after the vote on her immortality. Just a one-shot i thought of while reading.


**This is only a one-shot. Just a thought I had as I was rereading the series. So enjoy. The start of this story comes from the actual book. Rated M just in case. **

**I don't own the Twilight Series. Stephanie Meyer does.**

He thought for a minute. "All right. Forget time limits. If you want me to be the one – then you'll just have to meet one condition."

"Condition?" My voice went flat. "What condition?"

His eyes were cautious – he spoke slowly. "Marry me first."

I stared at him, waiting… "Okay. What's the punch line?"

He sighed. "You're wounding my ego, Bella. I just proposed to you, and you think it's a joke."

"Edward, please be serious."

"I am one hundred percent serious." He gazed at me with no hint of humor in his face.

"Oh, c'mon," I said, an edge of hysteria in my voice. "I'm only eighteen."

"Well, I'm nearly a hundred and ten. It's time I settled down."

I looked away, out the dark window, trying to control the panic before it gave me away. "Look, marriage isn't exactly that high on my list of priorities, you know? It was sort of the kiss of death for Renee and Charlie."

"Interesting choice of words."

"You know what I mean."

He inhaled deeply. "Please don't tell me that you're afraid of the commitment," his voice was disbelieving, and I understood what he meant.

"That's not it exactly," I hedged. "I'm…afraid of Renee. She has some really intense opinions on getting married before you're thirty."

"Because she'd rather you became one of the eternal damned than get married." He laughed darkly.

"You think you're joking."

"Bella, if you compare the level of commitment between a marital union as opposed to bartering your soul in exchange for an eternity as a vampire…" He shook his head. "If you're not brave enough to marry me, then –"

"Well," I interrupted. "What if I did? What if I told you to take me to Vegas now? Would I be a vampire in three days?"

His dark eyes focused on me. His brow furrowed and I could tell this was one of those times Edward wished I wasn't immune to his mind reading powers. He seemed to be trying to make up for that incapability by staring into my soul. He had always said he could read my eyes like an open book. He was trying to discern whether I was serious.

And I was. What reason did I have not to be? I remembered my epiphany earlier. Edward truly loved me. And I loved him in return. No. that wasn't right. There was something greater than love between us. I was Edward's la tua cantante, his singer. The two of us were soul mates. If I expected him to turn me so I could be with him forever, how could I deny him this?

Marriage was supposed to be a never ending commitment, til death do I part. Unbreakable, unchangeable, no second chances, forever, if you forgot that divorce was now an option. Changing into a vampire was final, absolute. There would be no going back once bitten.

No matter what happened, I was going to get my sense of forever, whether it was tonight after a wedding in Vegas, or after graduation and with Carlisle. But I wanted desperately for Edward to be the one to change me. Getting married first wasn't a sacrifice, or something I was entirely against if I was honest with myself. Isabella Cullen had a wonderful ring to it. So did Mrs. Edward Cullen. And it would cement that Edward and I would be together forever. If I was going to get my forever, Edward should get his. As I would always belong to him, so would he always be mine.

"Fine. I'll go get the car. We'll be in Vegas in a few hours." He saw something in my expression. He wore that crooked smile that always forced me to have to remember to breath. He clearly thought I was bluffing.

I huffed as he jumped silently out my window. 'Well,' I thought as I packed an overnight bag, 'he'll see how serious I am when we get to Vegas. By that point he won't have any choice but to marry me and then change me.'

Unbelievably, as I was packing I found a note in one of my dresser drawers.

_Bella,_

_I'll allow you this just this once. The next time you and Edward get married (and you will have another ceremony) I get to plan the entire thing._

_On a happier note, I already knew you would go to Vegas, so I have provided you with the perfect first wedding dress because there is no way I would let you wear one of those tacky dresses they offer that have been worn by a thousand other people._

_This dress is completely original. I made it myself. Do you know how hard it was to keep the vision of your marriage and the design of your dress from Edward? I knew when you first moved to Forks that you would be joining our family._

_So, have fun in Vegas. The dress is hidden in Edward's Volvo in the trunk. And remember, the next wedding is mine._

_Your sister, _

_Alice._

A tear fell on the note. I wiped the rest away before the page become full of tear stains. I slipped the note into my scrapbook and packed that into the bag I was bringing. I quickly threw in some hygiene supplies I would need as I laughed quietly. Only Alice would have known how this night was going to turn out and in the same breath as wishing me congratulations threaten dire warnings if she didn't get to plan and be present at the next wedding.

There was a breeze behind me. Edward had returned and was seated on my bed. "Are you ready?"

"Yes." And, as he gathered me in his arms, one of my favorite places to be, and jumped out of my bedroom window, I realized I was ready. I wanted to marry Edward. I wanted to be his wife and for him to be my husband.

Normally, a trip from ever rainy Forks to Las Vegas would take almost a full day. However, nothing about vampires was normal, and that included their cars. As per usual, Edward drove at insane speeds that would have my father arresting him. However, that speed insured that we arrived in Las Vegas in seven hours instead.

The seven hour road trip was spent in complete silence. Edward would glance sideways at me every so often, clearly expecting me to cave, admit I was terrified of commitment, or at least marriage, and beg him to take me back to Forks and wait a couple years for him to change me. Unfortunately, for him anyway, I was as stubborn as ever. There was no way I was turning back now. I was going to tie myself to Edward in marriage, the highest form of commitment for humans, and he would change me into a vampire.

It was a good thing his Volvo windows were tinted, because the sun was up when we arrived in Vegas. He booked us into a fancy hotel, the thought of the bill for one night, let alone the four we would be here, made me cringe internally. Having money at my disposal was something I was going to have to get used to.

For the first time since my birthday in September, I fell asleep in my boyfriend's, now fiancée's, cold embrace. And I slept without nightmare of either his leaving or the Volturi coming, not that that was much of an issue considering why we were in Vegas.

It was evening when I awoke, but the sun was still out so we couldn't leave the safety of the hotel yet. Edward was conveniently absent, so I took the time to leaf through the different chapels offered. My eye was immediately drawn towards the second chapel. The pictures were gorgeous. The gold color of the chapel reminded me of Edward's eyes right after he hunted. This was where I wanted my impromptu wedding.

I read over the details and decided on the third package. For $500 we would get: use of the Chapel, traditional wedding music, bride's 12 rose hand tied bouquet, groom's matching boutonniere, bride and groom first dance, dressing room for bride (which was great because I would be able to keep Edward from seeing the dress Alice had made for me until the actual ceremony), candelabras lit down aisle, 18 ceremony photos on CD, and 3 camera DVDs of the ceremony (both of which would hopefully tide Alice over for a couple of decades).

So I called the chapel, with the cell phone Alice had provided me, and reserved the chapel for ten o'clock, paying with the emergency credit card Alice had also given me. I sent Edward a text with all the wedding details and then went down to the parking garage to get my wedding dress out of Edward's Volvo.

I locked the doors on my way back in the room. I knew they were no match for the strength of a vampire, but it was a sign to Edward, if he returned, that I wanted privacy. Not that it mattered. There was little time before the limo arrived to pick me up so I could prepare, but I wanted to see my dress first.

The dress was an ivory white metallic color. It was strapless and would expose my upper back. The jewel incrusted bodice was intricate and had metallic accents. The skirt was an asymmetrical horsehair grand tiered ballgown skirt and Alice had even made a chapel train. The veil that went with it was the same colors, one tier, fingertip length, beaded re-embroidered lace and scattered crystal beading.

It brought tears to my eyes, and I could picture how beautiful I would look in it. I actually cried when I realized Alice must have spent a lot of time to design and put this dress together and she would be at my wedding to actually see me in the fruit of her hard work.

My cell phone vibrated, notifying me of a text.

_Don't cry Bella. Did you really think I wouldn't be at your wedding. I saw you crying over the dress when you made the decision to go to Vegas, so Jasper and I followed you down. Now go get in the shower. I'll be at your room in an hour and we won't have much time then before the limo arrives._

I wiped away my tears and did as Alice ordered. I don't know why I ever thought that she wouldn't come, although that didn't stop her from wanting to plan a 'real wedding' as she called it. And with how happy I was at the moment, I would let her do it without a fight.

Alice was standing in the hotel living room when I exited the shower, and she wasted no time putting on my basic make-up and styling my hair. She whisked me down to the lobby and into the waiting limo at half past eight and was literally bouncing in the seat all the way to the chapel.

She dragged me into the dressing room and threw a box of lingerie at me. I don't know why because I certainly wouldn't be using them. Or had she seen that too? Then she helped me into my dress and finished my hair and make-up

I stood in front of the three screen mirror, examining the dress at every angle. If I could have cried without ruining Alice's hard work I would have. After my parents had divorced, I never thought I would get married. But here I was, in a dressing room in a chapel in Vegas, looking so beautiful that I wasn't sure I was looking at me.

A knock on the door tore my gaze away from admiring myself in the mirrors. I glanced at the clock to find it was almost ten. I crossed the room, thanking the heavens that Alice let me wear small heels and not stilettos, and opened the door.

I had been expecting Alice who had come to tell me it was time, and found myself face to face with Carlisle instead.

"Carlisle? What. . ?"

He chuckled lightly at my confusion. "A daughter needs a father to walk her down the aisle on her wedding day."

Tears formed in the corner of my eyes. I loved Carlisle like a second father, and was closer to him than I was to Charlie, and was stunned speechless that he cared for me like a daughter. I wrapped my arms around him in a tight hug, for human standards, and mumbled thanks into his tuxedo, which he, of course, looked like a supermodel in.

He patted my back and gave me a smile, offering his arm. I hooked my arm through his at the elbow and let Carlisle lead me to the double doors that would lead to Edward.

We paused outside the doors, waiting for the music to start.

"I want you to know I couldn't be happier for you and Edward." I turned my face up to look at Carlisle. "Esme and I have thought of you as one of our children since Edward brought you over the first time. And we're so happy that you found love in each other. You complete him and he does the same for you. I just wanted you to know that we would have considered you our daughter no matter what. And that we're sorry for leaving you. Just know that Esme and I love you and can't wait for you to join our family officially."

I didn't know what to say to his confession. "I. . . I love you and Esme too." I was saved from having to force any more words out through my constricted throat by the start of the wedding organ playing 'Here Comes the Bride.'

I clenched Carlisle's arm. His left hand came to cover my own, comforting me and calming my sudden nerves. The doors opened and Carlisle slowly lead me down the aisle to the music. I took in the fantastic decorations, mostly like taken care of by Alice. I saw Emse, Emmett, and Rosalie seated in the front row. It nearly brought another round of tears to my eyes. I noticed Alice standing at the altar, clearly taking her place as the maid of honor, and Jasper across from her as Edward's best man.

But all of that fell away when I spotted Edward. My bronze haired Adonis looked like a dream in his tux. His eyes were a buttery, burning gold; his perfect face was almost severe with the depth of his emotion. And then, as he met my awed gaze, he broke into a breathtaking smile of exultation. I don't think that he thought I would actually marry him until he saw me standing at the end of the aisle on his father's arms, and now that he knew he would have me forever, Edward was elated and jubilant.

Carlisle hand me to Edward and took his seat next to his wife. The ceremony itself passed in an unmemorable blur. I never once looked away from Edward's face. I barely caught my cue to say I do, but I did. And they came out firm and unwavering.

When it was his turn to speak, the words rang clear and victorious. "I do," he vowed.

The pastor pronounced us man and wife, and I swear the following kiss was the most passionate one Edward and I had ever shared.

If there was a reception planned, unexpectedly by Alice of course, Edward ignored it in favor of sweeping me off my feet, carrying me back to the limo, up the stairs of the hotel ("the elevator moves slower than I run."), and over the threshold of the hotel room and straight to the humongous bed.

The night was full of passionate love-making. I was so enthralled in the fact that I was married that I never noticed the pain every virgin experienced. The experience was repeated multiple times, and, in the midst of my umpteenth orgasm, I felt Edward sink his teeth into my neck.

The feeling of pure bliss lasted for about a minute; then the fire that burned through my veins as the venom entered my bloodstream and set in progress my change took over. The heat was overwhelming. Fire seared through my body, making me feel like I had been trapped in a volcano. My vision turned black.

I never from short talks with Carlisle and Alice that there was a small chance that the venom would kill me out right, so I fought against the fire in my veins and the encroaching blackness, thinking only of Edward.

I opened my eyes three days later, and the first thing I saw was Edward, my husband. He was even more beautiful with vampire eyes and I greedily drank him in. I was in his arms the moment he noticed I was awake.

"My Bella, my love, my wife." He murmured into my hair. "I love you. I love you so much."

I kissed him, whispering my own I love yous against his lips. I couldn't describe all the emotions I was feeling. It made me briefly wonder if Jasper, and for that matter the rest of the family (my family now), was still around.

Edward and I enjoyed our first real day as husband and wife. Although most of it was spent in the bed. I was the happiest I had ever been in my life. I was married to the love of my existence, my soul mate, and he had changed me into a vampire so we would be together forever.

That happiness lasted until I realized we would have to return to Forks and explain to Charlie why I had disappeared again so soon after my last unexplained trip to Italy. I would probably finally find out if vampires were truly bullet proof.


End file.
